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Home , Brian Daley, James Luceno, Kyle Newman, Max Rebo Band, Return of the Jedi

Volume 25 Number 5 Issue 299 October 2012

WORD FROM THE EDITOR Events

Thanks to Patty Rusell for a Dragoncon report Away Mission: Orlando and pictures October 5-7 Hilton Walt Disney Resort There is a lot going on this month. It will start 1751 Hotel Plaza Boulevard, with Away Mission Orlando and ends with Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830 Necronomicon in St. Petersburg. I will get some Guests: Avery Brooks (Sisko, :Deepspace 9) pictures from both of these events. Robert Duncan McNeill (Paris, Star Trek: Next month I will write a report of Chicon 7, Voyager) Dwight Schultz (Barclay Star Trek: The Next the 70th World Science Fiction Convention. I think Generation) that is a good center piece for the 300th issue of the Robin Curtis (Saavik, Star Trek III &IV) Event Horizon. Dirk Benedict (Starbuck, Battlestar Galactica Happy Halloween. 1978) Herbert Jefferson (Boomer, Battlestar Galactica 1978) Colin Ferguson (Carter, Euerka) 3 Day $69, Daily Admission $20 http://www.away-mission.com/events/orl-2012.html

Tampa Bay Comic Con October 20-21 Doubletree Hotel 4500 West Cypress Street Tampa, FL, 33607 Guests: Chandler Riggs (Carl, Walking Dead) Herb Trimpe (artist, co-creator Wolverine) $10 per day at the door, http://www.tampabaycomiccon.com

Necronomicon October 21-23 Hilton Bayfront Birthdays 333 First Street NE St. Petersburg,FL 33701 Patricia Wheeler—October 25 $50 for 3 days at the door Michael Pilletere—October 26 Guest of Honor: Linnea Sinclair www.stonehill.org/necro.htm

OASFiS Event Horizon Vol 25 Issue 299 October 2012. Published Monthly by the Orlando Area Science Fiction Society (OASFiS). All rights reserved by original Authors and Artists. Editor: Juan Sanmiguel, 1421 Pon Pon Court, Orlando, FL 32825. Subscriptions are $12.00 per year and entitle the subscriber to membership in the Society. Attending Memberships are $25.00 per year. Extra memberships to family members are $7.00 per year when only one newsletter is sent to the household. To subscribe or join OASFiS, send a check or money order to: OASFiS, PO Box 592905, Orlando, FL 32859-2905. To submit Articles, Artwork or Letters of Comment to the Event Horizon, send them to the Editor's address above or [email protected]. For additional information, call our Voice Mail at (407) 823-8715. OASFiS is a state chartered not for profit corporation whose goal is the promotion of Science Fiction in all its forms. All opinions expressed herein are solely those of the Author(s) and in no way represent the opinions of the Society or its members as a whole. Page two October 2012

October OASFiS Calendar OASFiS People

OASFiS Meeting Sunday, October 14, 1:30 PM, , Brick and Fire Pasta Steve Cole 407-275-5211 and Pizza Parlor (Downtown Orlando, 1621 South Orange [email protected] Ave Orlando, Florida 32806). Come and join us. Susan Cole 407-275-5211 [email protected] SciFi Light Arthur Dykeman 407-328-9565 Saturday October 13, 6:00 PM, El Bodegón (400 S [email protected] Steve Grant 352 241 0670 Orlando Ave. Winter Park, FL 32789 ,). Come join us and [email protected] discuss Philip K. Dick’s work translated to film. For more Mike Pilletere [email protected] info contact Steve Grant David Ratti 407-282-2468 [email protected]

Juan Sanmiguel 407-823-8715 To contact for more info: [email protected] OASFiS Business Meeting 407-823-8715 Patricia Wheeler 407-832-1428 [email protected]

Any of these people can give readers information about the Celebration VI club and its functions. To be included in the list call Juan. first night of Celebration. Smith said that on the way over to the auditorium, a young girl asked to be Star Wars Celebration VI took place August photographed with him. Smith was surprised, since 23-26, 2012 at the Orange County Convention Center. he usually draws an older audience. After the picture The Guests of Honor were (Luke was taken, Smith found out she thought he was Skywalker), (Leia Organa), Anthony Porkins, one of the Alliance pilots in the Daniel (C-3PO), (), Kenny battle in the first movie. Smith talked about growing Baker (R2-D2), Ian McDiarmid ( aka the up with a friend named Peter King. King and Smith Emperor), Ashley Eckstein (Ashoka Tanno, Clone would play Star Wars every summer for several Wars), Matt Lanter (Anakin Skywalker, ), years. King had more Star Wars toys than Smith. Tom Kane (, Clone Wars ), Dave Filoni Smith said that King had more Imperial Walkers than (supervising director, Clone Wars), (sound were used on . It was a great time in Smith’s life. director and editor) and a special appearance by King died in a traffic accident years later. Smith feels director Kevin Smith. There were several Star Wars that by coming to Celebration, he is coming for Peter novel writers in attendance: Aaron Allston, Troy King. Smith explained that his family funds were Denning, Drew Karpyshynh, , and tight, so the amount of Star Wars toys he had as a kid Timothy Zahn. were limited. One year, his parents got him an One annoying thing about Star Wars Imperial . Smith was overjoyed, and treated Celebration was how the opening of the convention the toy like the family dog. His parents asked him to was handled each day. At most conventions, people count this present for the current Christmas, his go in the con venue and wait for the first program birthday, and the next Christmas. Smith was so happy item they wish to see. At Celebration, attendees were that he agreed. Years later, Smith found out from his herded to an empty room until opening, and then the brother and sister that his Aunt Rose bought the toy. crowd was moved out of the room and moved out into He always liked to talk about Star Wars with his the main hallway. This caused some delay in getting . Many of those conversations were to the first panels of the day. incorporated into many of his films, like Clerks. (Continued on page 4) Kevin Smith made a special appearance on the Page three October 2012 Star Wars Celebration VI

Clockwise starting on the upper left One of the entrances to the convention, The (exhibit), Lego C-3PO and R2-D2, Rancor from Return of the , The Cantina Crowd Page four October 2012

(Continued from page 2) which is set in the earliest days of the Jedi When Smith went to Japan to promote Clerks, a order. Japanese reporter compared Jay and Silent Bob to C- 3PO and R2-D2. Smith claims he did not  Crucible by Troy Denning – This story takes intentionally set that up, but it showed to him the place about 40 years after . universal appeal of Star Wars. Smith is a fan of the A threat arises that Luke, Han, and Leia have . He thinks that some fans’ dislike of the to deal with. prequels is due to fact that nothing could meet such  Sword of the Jedi by Christie Golden – This high expectations those films had. Smith explained will be a trilogy focusing on Jania Solo, the that in it was rumored that the duel which daughter of Han and Leia, who is a Jedi disfigured Anakin was going to take place near a Master. This is also set 40 years after Return volcano. Seeing that scene come to life in Revenge of of the Jedi. the was really fulfilling. Smith thinks Lucas should make Episode VII all about the There are plans for some short fiction related to the (the race that Jango and belong too). Smith novels to be released electronically. Zahn was asked only met Lucas in passing. He was working on a film why the details of Admiral Thrawn’s race were not at the . He saw Lucas in the discussed in the original Thrawn trilogy. The Thrawn cafeteria and gave him a nod in his direction. At the novels where the first of a new line of Star Wars end of his talk, Smith encouraged people to get into books that came out in 1991, and there was no podcasts. His own podcasts are extensions of his old guarantee of a contract for more books, so Zahn did Star Wars conversations he had with his friends, and not put in Thrawn’s back story at that time. Luceno feels that others have similar interesting explained that in his novel, Darth Plagues, it was conversations. challenging writing from the Sith point of view, since he had to provide rationale for their actions. One Del had a presentation about their Star audience member asked if there will be more books Wars book line. Writers Timothy Zahn, John Luceno, for younger readers. The Del Rey representatives Drew Karpyshyn, Aaron Allston, and Troy explained that Scholastic handles that line and they Denningwere present. The following books will be hope they will look into new books. Allston was coming out in the next few months: asked if there will be any follow ups to his Mercy Kill  The Essential Reader's Companion by Pablo novel. There are no plans for more books, but he is Hidalgo, Jeff Carlisle and Chris Trevas – This interested in writing more. Someone asked if there will be a guide to the Star Wars novels. are any plans to kill off Luke, Han, or Leia. Neither Del Rey nor Lucas has plans to kill off these  Old Republic: Annihilation by Drew characters. Another audience member asked if there Karpyshyn – This takes place centuries before are any plans for more gay characters in the books. the events in the films, and deals with the Sith There are none right now, but they wish the creation Empire. of such characters to be organic rather than done for the sake of having a gay character. Someone else  Scoundrels by Timothy Zahn – A heist novel asked if certain continuity errors in the series will be featuring Chewbacca, , and Lando corrected. The Del Rey representatives explained that Calrissian. they do not want a novel or story just to be a patch to  Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void by Tim correct past errors. There are a few books, like Alan Lebbon – This ties in with a Dark Horse comic (Continued on page 6) Page five October 2012

Star Wars Celebration VI

Clockwise starting on the top (left to right)Joel Aron,Dave Filoni and Ben Burtt, (left to right) Kyle Newman and Ernest Cline,

Page six October 2012

(Continued from page 4) Return of the Jedi. The comics also had some Dean Foster’s Splinter in the Mind’s Eye, that do not romantic tension between Luke and Leia, which looks easily fit in the Star Wars universe, but there is no funny and awkward in hindsight. Many of the comics need to change this. Someone asked how you know have been reprinted, and could be found in the Dealers what you can and cannot do in a Star Wars novel. Room. Several writers explained that one gets a sense of what the limits are. Zahn says that ideas are vetted during Pablo Hildago and James Luceno hosted a the outlining of a novel. Leland Chee, an expert on tribute to science fiction writer . Luceno the Expanded Universe, helps out with novel series meet Daley after Daley got out of the army and was planning. He can tell writers and editors what has starting his first novel. Daley had been a successful been done before. writer for Del Rey books. Daley was asked to write some Star Wars-related novels. Del Rey bought the There was a panel on the by rights for Star Wars books before Star Wars was well Marvel. During the years of the original trilogy, these -known. allowed Daley to write books comics were a source of new Star Wars stories every about Han Solo which took place before A New Hope. month. At that time, there were no DVDs, or videos, Daley was intrigued, since Solo is the character that and only a small number of books and records. The makes a moral journey in the film. The books would only way to see the films was if they would be shown focus on the adventures that Han and Chewbacca had again in the theaters. Top comic book talent like Walt before the time of the first movie. Daley was one of Simonson, Carmine Infantino, , and the few writers who used droids as point-of-view Howard Chaykin worked on the comics. Writer and characters (even R2-D2 and C-3PO are not used much editor Roy Thomas convinced Stan Lee to do the as point of view characters in Star Wars novels). series, prior to the release of the first movie, despite Hildago read some passages from Daley’s novels. the fact that science fiction comics did not do well Daley got the job to adapt the Star Wars films to commercially and Star Wars was still an unknown radio. Hildago played some clips from the radio property at the time. Jim Shooter, Editor-in-Chief of show, one of which was a scene which took place Marvel in the 1980s, stated that the sales of Star Wars before the movie started. The sequence has Luke drag comics really helped Marvel at the time. There were -racing his Skyhopper on against his rival, restrictions placed on the writers. These changed as Fixer. Hildago then played another scene in which the films were released. Lucasfilm did not want Luke Leia tries to comfort Luke after seeing he sees Obi and Vader to confront each other in the comics. After Wan Kenobi killed. Hildalgo also played a scene , they could not do anything from the Return of the Jedi adaptation, where there is with Han Solo or have Luke continue his Jedi training a humorous conversation between Han and Leia on with Yoda. After Return of the Jedi, there was no the Millenium Falcon after they escape from Jabba the clear idea of where to go with the comics. It took a . At the time of recording of Return of the Jedi, while for editors to find a direction, but by that time Daley was ill, and the cast sent him an audio get-well the readership had dropped and the comic was card, which Hildalgo played for the audience. Daley, cancelled. The comic presented unfortunately, died before hearing the card. Luceno (sometimes spelled with one t) as a dog-like alien, and and Daley collaborated under the pseudonym Jack even had Han settle his debt with him. When the McKinney, and adapted the television series writers got the script for The Empire Strikes Back, into novels. Daley and Luceno alternated who wrote they had to get Han back into Jabba’s debt. There each book in the series. After one writer finished his were some fake-outs during the comic’s run regarding (Continued on page 8) Luke facing Vader and finding Han Solo before Page seven October 2012 Star Wars Celebration VI

Clockwise starting on the upper left Governor Tarkin, The Nightsisters from Clone Wars series, Admiral Thrawn, Obi-Wan Kenobi and a potential pupil, Ashoka Tano, Master costumer Anne Davenport as a Jedi Master Page eight October 2012

(Continued from page 6) Empire Strikes Back. It focuses on Han and Chewie book, the other would go over it. Each of the books leaving the Rebellion and going back to their lives as was written in a month. This was kept as a secret for smugglers and the problems associated with that. years until Daley revealed it on a NPR interview. Dave Filoni, supervising director of Clone Kyle Newman and Ernest Cline discussed their Wars television series and Clone Wars visual effects experiences in the film industry. Cline wrote the supervisor Joel Aron discussed plans for season 5, and script for Fanboys, and Newman directed the film. showed some clips from upcoming episodes. There Fanboys is about a group of friends who decide to will be a storyline involving R2-D2 and other droids break into Skywalker Ranch so their terminally-ill going on a mission. The recently-resurrected Darth friend could see Star Wars Episode One: The Maul will also have a storyline involving the Phantom Menace before he dies. Cline did not go to Mandalorian rebel group Death Watch. Filoni said film school, but loved movies. He read the that one of the changes this year is that Anakin will be screenplays of his favorite films to figure out the quicker to anger, thus leading to his eventual fall into scriptwriting process, and then wrote a sequel to the Dark Side in Revenge of the Sith. During the talk Buckaroo Banzai:Across the Eighth Dimension. He they introduced the show’s biggest fan. That fan posted the on the Internet and it was very turned out to be George Lucas. Lucas discussed how popular. Cline got the idea of Fanboys after his happy he has been with the show. The show’s mother died and he wondered what he would do if he purpose is to cover storylines that could not be died before the release of the prequels. Cline realized covered in a film, and are too expensive to do as a live a film could be like a classical quest with the viewing -action television series. The presentation ended with of the film as the Holy Grail. The heroes would have a for season 5, which will debut September 29. to face obstacles and find the keys in order to get to the Skywalker Ranch. Newman went to film school at . He had success with the film There were many other panels. There was a shorts he made at NYU, and got a job working on panel on Star Wars artist Ralph McQuarrie, who died films at the USA Network. Newman then got a job earlier this year. That panel had a special film about directing a made-for-TV movie called Hollow, a McQuarrie’s career and how he helped design the modern day version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. look of the Star Wars universe. Ben Burtt did a talk The previous director had had a nervous breakdown, on film editing. There was a panel devoted to all the and the film did not have an appropriate budget. aliens which appeared in the Cantina sequence in A Newman was able to pull it together and finish the New Hope. Seth Green, creator of Robot Chicken, movie. It was a great learning experience, and the presented a preview for Star Wars: Detours. Star film was nominated for some technical awards. Wars: Detours is parody cartoon focusing on the time Newman and Cline talked about their fight with the the first Death Star was under construction and Vader studio when the studio wanted to remove the cancer and the Emperor claim that the base is actually a large plotline. They knew the film without the cancer shopping mall. There was panel discussing the plotline would be nothing more than a goofy road film series. movie. Cline is working on some more screenplays, will be released in IMAX later this year. including one based on his novel Ready Player One. Next year there will be a Star Wars Newman directed and presented a Star Wars radio Celebration Europe in Germany to celebrate the 30th play later at the con, with many of the voice actors of anniversary of Return of the Jedi. There are plans to the Clone Wars series. The play is called Smuggler’s bring Star Wars CelebrationVII to Orlando, though Gambit, and is set between A New Hope and The Page nine October 2012 Star Wars Celebration VI

Clockwise starting on the upper left Jabba the Hutt and Leia, Two Leias, The Allaince Quidditch Team, Wookie Claus Page nine October 2012

Dragoncon 2012 the building. I passed the time with small wizarding family, with very young Ron, Harry, Hermione and by Belatrix look-alikes providing entertainment by poking unsuspecting muggles with their wands. They Patty Russell were supervised by a 7’-tall Hagrid, and later by Professor McGonagall. The dilemma came when we Armed with a bag of snacks, a costume and a got inside the hotel, and I got into the longer credit card, I tried a one-day whirlwind tour of "credit" (vs. the very short "cash") registration line. Dragon*Con 2012 on Saturday, September 1st. As Being short $5 of the $50 one-day fee, I waited described by geekout.blogs.cnn.com, this four-day dutifully with an R2D2-costumed lady, and lots of convention is "regarded among many as a more fan- steam-punk-attired fans for an hour, before finding out oriented alternative to San Diego ComicCon." the next line would be at least another hour long, Dragon*Con was started in 1987. I first visited this prompting a Joker-attired guy to give a long evil convention in 2005 when the Saturday morning laugh. Breaking ranks, my search for a working cash parade had only a few hundred spectators. The machine took me through the lunchtime fan-watchers geekout.blogs.com article mentions that the con takes and into a CVS, where even a few of the clerks were over "more of downtown Atlanta each year as in makeup, and the manager welcomed every fan organizers add panels to accommodate growing guest. Not wanting to wait in the 85-degree outside interest in all things fan-related." Was that an line again, I appealed to a Con worker, who understatement. Atlanta itself, with its multi-story generously gave me a drink and a place indoors to sit buildings and urban parks was awe-inspiring enough, while a co-volunteer worked out my registration. All but with over 30,000 fans filling its streets, I was this to say, next year it will be online registration, and reminded of a Central Florida theme park without the a much-earlier start time! expensive parking and FastPass machines. And like a In the Puppetry for Children's Television good theme park, there was a photo op with favorite program, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, Peter Linz and characters for fans of every persuasion: 90 percent of Ryan Dillon shared their stories of how they started in the milling mobs both in and outside of the 4 puppetry. Peter is a 20-year veteran of kids' sponsoring hotels were in costume. television, and does a lot of behind-the-scenes work, Leslie started with a Child Development degree and is "While Dragon*Con’s panels and parties now Abby Cadabee on Sesame Street, and Ryan attract fans of television, film, video game and comic- started on Sesame Street before he was even out of inspired subcultures from all over the country, the high school. They all mentioned their admiration of or parade is open to the public free of charge, drawing work with Jim Henson and his Muppets. The Anime families from all around metro Atlanta who wouldn’t Voice Actors panel next door (one with 1-hour lines necessarily identify as nerds or pony up for weekend wrapping around the hotel) was cheering so noisily passes that run as high as $140," the that the panelists had our audience cheer right back on geekout.blogs.cnn.com article continues. As I arrived cue. Leslie, who had a solo program on puppetry later at what I thought was an early hour Saturday, I in the day, wrapped up by singing "Over the enthusiastically followed fans to what turned out to be Rainbow" in her Abby Cadabbee voice. the opening parade. A Scottish bagpipe band led the S. M. Stirling, the author of the Drakon series, parade with a ten-foot dragon holding the did a reading of a book still in progress, a sequel to Dragon*Con banner. Plenty of floats, cosplay groups, Lord of Mountains, which is an adventure based on and rolling robots followed, including a life-sized the author's love of archaeology, anthropology, and Dalek. Not staying to watch, I "tailed" a couple also steam-punk technology. A fan described him as an searching for the Con registration line, to get a jump urban fantasy writer similar to Simon R. Green. on the crowds. (Many fans I passed sported tails, Stirling was like an edgy English professor. This was including a Kilala from anime show InuYasha). my first encounter with his work. After many dead-ends, we made it to the Sheraton After wandering the narrow corridors after the Hotel, only to find security guards directing fans to a Miyazaki, Gender, and Joseph Campbell on the one-hour registration line literally wrapping around (Continued on page 12) Page ten October 2012 Dragoncon 2012

Clockwise starting on the upper left Hagrid and some Hogwarts students, The costume parade, Professor McGonagall and some more Hogwarts students, One of multi-tailed costumers Page eleven October 2012

(Continued from page 10) museum-wall-sized paintings, this show is always Heroic Quest panel was cancelled, I found the Middle worth a visit, even if there is very little jingle in your Grade & YA Fiction panel. There, Dan Jolley (author pocket. of My Immortal Knight vampire series), N. Knight, Tom Smith's filk concert ran for almost 2 Alethea Kontis (author of Enchanted, a paranormal hours. A Con volunteer was using a flip chart to tally fantasy), Nancy Holder (author of 80 novels), Kate the number of jibes from Tom vs. the number of jibes Locke (author of God Save the Queen), and Holly from the audience (the audience barely won). McClure (author of online middle grade paranormal Between favorites like “Fenton the Death Sheep”, stories) gave potential writers the "skinny" on what to “500 Hats”, and “A Boy and His Frog”, Tom worked include to get published in this growing field. They in more serious numbers like “Dervish” and “House at mentioned the Harry Potter series is considered Cthulhu Corner”. middle grade fiction (despite the increasingly-violent Yes, I would go back to that hot seething mass battles), and that comic books are accepted as ways to of fandom next year, but this time, with a working link kids to reading. camera and a magnifying glass (for the very Stan Morrison, former Oasis Artist GOH, had informative but extremely-tiny print in the a booth at the Art Show that I wanted to see. After we Dragon*Con Pocket Program), and a hotel room! talked, I noticed the variety and scope of art represented. From type-set letters on bottle caps to

Dragoncon 2012

(Left) One of the many lines at Dragon con, (Right) Prepping up a Dalek for display Page twelve October 2012 Dragoncon 2012

Clockwise starting on the upper left Grand Galactic Inquisitor R2-D2, Hall costumer, archeologist, OASFiS P.O. Box 592905 ORLANDO, FL 32859-2905

Joe Fan 123 Sesame Street Orlando, FL 32805